Arrangement for removing wrapping wire from bales

ABSTRACT

An arrangement for removing and separating into pieces wrapping wire (3) encircling a bale (2) or like package in individual, closed loops includes a first wire clipping device (6) for severing the wire in each separate loop at a location (29), to form a wire length; a second wire clipping device (14, 16, 17) for dividing the wire length into smaller pieces; and feed means (10, 12&#39;16, 18) for advancing the wire length to the second wire clipping device. The latter device (14, 16, 17) comprises at least one cutting bit (16) projecting radially outwards from a motor-driven rotor (14) and whose cutting edge generates a cylindrical surface, and further comprises a stationary counter cutting bit (17). The feed means includes a part-cylindrical guide surface (18) which co-operates with the cutting edge to advance a wire length introduced between the guide surface and the rotor (14) to the counter cutting bit.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an arrangement for removing andseparating into pieces wrapping wire that encircles a bale or likepackage in individual, closed loops, said arrangement being of the kindwhich includes a first wire clipping device for severing the wire ineach separate loop of wrapping wire at a given location thereon, to forma wire length; a second wire clipping device for dividing the wirelength into smaller pieces or slugs; and feed means for advancing thewire length to the second wire clipping device, said second wireclipping device comprising at least one cutting bit which projectsradially outwards from a motor-driven rotor and the cutting edge ofwhich generates a substantially cylindrical surface as the rotorrotates, and further comprises a stationary counter cutting-bit.

BACKGROUND PRIOR ART

An arrangement of the aforedescribed kind is described and illustratedin DE-B-21 00 869, this known arrangement being intended for the removalof wrapping wire used to hold together rolled metal strip that has beenrolled-up into a cylinder form. This known arrangement is relativelycomplicated, since it requires the provision of a pair of feed rollerswith associated drive means, for advancing the wrapping wire to thelocation of the second clipping device. One of the rollers of the pairof feed rollers must be capable of considerable movement towards andaway from the other roller of said pair, in order to ensure that onefree end of the wire that is formed when clipping the wire loopencircling the cylinder of rolled metal strip by means of the firstclipping device is captured by the roller pair.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a novel andadvantageous arrangement for removing wrapping wires or like ties inwhich the provision of feed rollers and associated drive means foradvancing wire lengths to the second clipping device is no longernecessary.

To this end it is proposed in accordance with the invention that thefeed means of a wrapping-wire removal arrangement of the aforesaid kindincludes a part-cylindrical guide surface which is located upstream ofthe counter cutting-bit and outwardly of and parallel with the surfacegenerated by the cutting-bit of the rotor, and that the arrangementincludes a means for introducing one end of said wire length betweensaid guide surface and the rotor, the distance between the guide surfaceand the surface generated by the cutting-bit of the rotor being so muchsmaller than the thickness of the wire that when the rotor rotates thecutting-bit thereof, upon passage of the cutting-bit along the guidesurface, bites into a wire length introduced between the guide surfaceand the rotor and dogs or likewise entrains the wire length to thelocation of the counter cutting-bit, with said wire length slidingagainst said guide surface, where said wire length is severed. Thisarrangement beneficially obviates the need of providing feed rollersbetween the wire clipping devices, therewith rendering the wire removingarrangement less complicated and less expensive.

Further characteristic features of the invention and advantages affordedthereby will be evident from the following claims and from thedescription made hereinafter with reference to an exemplifyingembodiment of an arrangement intended for removing steel wrapping wirefrom paper-pulp bales while the bales rest on a conveyor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an arrangement of apparatusaccording to the invention, as seen at right angles to the direction ofbale transportation.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates part of a wire clipping device located beneath aroller path.

FIG. 4 illustrates schematically a wire feeding and wire dividing devicearranged in the proximity of the wire clipping device illustrated inFIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the part I illustrated inFIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the part II illustrated inFIG. 4.

FIG. 7 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the arrangement accordingto the invention in more detail.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS AT PRESENT PREFERRED

The arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 of the accompanying drawingscomprises a first roller path 1 which carries a bale 2 of paper pulp,around which there is wrapped four steel wires 3 in mutually parallelpairs, the wires 3 of one pair extending at right angles to the wires 3of the other pair. The bale 2 is placed on the first roller path 1 inposition A, as shown with the bale drawn in full lines in the Figure,and in position B, as shown with the bale drawn in chain lines, thislatter bale partially overlapping the bale shown in full lines. Thearrangement also includes a turntable 4, on which a bale 2 is placed inposition C, and a second roller path 5, which carries a bale 2 placed inposition D, in accordance with the full line figure which shows the bale2, and in position E, in accordance with the figure drawn in chainlines, this latter figure partially overlapping the figure drawn in fulllines.

The roller paths 1, 5 are illustrated schematically in the drawings andcomprise mutually parallel, driven rollers, the upper surfaces of whichrollers lie in one and the same plane and the common transport directionof which is arrowed in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. The turntable 4 isalso illustrated schematically in the drawings and comprises an upperpart which is rotatable about a vertical axis and which is provided withdriving roller means, not shown in the drawings, by means of which thebale 2 can be moved in two mutually perpendicular directions. The bale 2is driven in one of said directions when moved from the first rollerpath 1 to the turntable 4, and in the other of said directions whenmoved from the turntable 4 to the second roller path 5. In between thesemovements the turntable 4 has been rotated through 90°, so that thesteel wires 3, which in positions A and B are located in thetransporting direction of the roller path 1, are not orientated inpositions D and E, so as to be at right angles to the transportingdirection of the roller path 5.

Beneath the first roller path 1 there is arranged a first wire clippingdevice 6, which is vertically moveable so that it can be brought inbetween two mutually adjacent rollers of the first roller path 1. Whenthe bale 2 is located in the position A, the forwardly lying wrappingwire 3, which is at right angles to the transporting direction, islocated immediately above the first wire clipping device 6 in the firstroller path 1, said device being illustrated symbolically in FIGS. 1 and2. The forward wrapping wire 3 is severed by bringing the wire clippingdevice 6 into contact with the under surface of the bale 2. When thebale 2 is located in position B, its rearwardly lying wrapping wire islocated above the first wire clipping device 6 and is severed in asimilar manner. The wrapping wires 3 are moved, with the aid of anelectromagnet 10, down from the under side of the bale 2 and into acombination arrangement of a combined wire feed means and second wireclipping device 11, illustrated in FIG. 4, by means of which the wire 3is removed from the bale 2 and divided into small pieces or slugs.

The combined wire feed and wire clipping arrangement 11 incorporates acapturing device 12 which can be displaced outwardly to an outerposition, illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 4, in which it capturesthe severed wire 3, which is also illustrated in broken lines in thisposition. The wire is then drawn into an inner position in thearrangement, with the aid of a pneumatic piston-cylinder device 13, thewire 3 being bent down at the same time to the lower position shown inbroken lines in FIG. 4. In this position, the outwardly projecting endof the wire 3 is captured by a rotor 14 forming part of the second wireclipping device and pressed in towards a part-cylindrical guide surface18 on a stator 15 and drawn along the guide surface, or stator, from theposition referenced I to the position referenced II in FIG. 4.

The rotor 14, which is driven by a motor not shown in FIG. 4, hasprovided thereon two diametrically opposed cutting bits 16 which projectradially from the rotor and the cutting edges of which generate asubstantially cylindrical surface which is generally concentrical withthe part-cylindrical guide surface 18. The distance between thecylindrical surface generated by the cutting edges and the guide surface18 is smaller than the thickness of the wire to be cut, so that as therotor 14 rotates the cutting bits located thereon will bite into thewire 3 caught between the guide surface and the rotor during passage ofthe bits along the guide surface and therewith dog or likewise entrainthe wire with said wire sliding against said guide surface. The cuttingbits 16 thus form dogging means. In the position II the respectivecutting bits 16 pass a stationary counter cutting-bit 17 located at theoutlet end of the stator 15, where the wire 3 is severed between thecutting bits 16 and the counter cutting-bit 17. The length of wire 3thus severed corresponds substantially to the distance through whichrespective cutting edges have moved along the stator 15 from the time atwhich a cutting bit 16 has engaged the wire to the point of time atwhich said cutting bit 16 passes the counter cutting-bit 17.

The wire stator 15 is arranged so that the severed wire 3 projectsoutwardly over the stator 15 against which the wire is bent down bymeans of the capturing arrangement 12. Located at the inlet end of thefirst part-cylindrical surface 18, remote from the counter cutting-bit17, is a second cylindrical surface 19 which is curved in a directionopposite to the first part-cylindrical surface 18 and adjoins saidsurface at said inlet end. As the rotor 14 rotates, the end of the wireis bent around the second part-cylindrical surface 19 which is is drawnby the cutting edges of the cutting bits 16 forwardly along the firstcylindrical surface up to the counter cutting-bit 17 at the outlet endof the stator 15 where the wire 3 is severed. As the wire 3 has reachedand is fed along the stator 15, the current supply to the electromagnet10 is switched off.

A further wire clipping device 7, also illustrated symbolically in FIGS.1 and 2 and corresponding with the aforedescribed wire clipping deviceis arranged beneath the second roller path 5 and is active between tworollers of the second roller path 5, for removal of the remainingwrapping wires 3 of the bale 2 in positions D and E, in a manner similarto removal of the wire in the positions A and B.

The position of the wire at locations A and B on the first roller path 1and the wire positions at locations D and E on the second roller path 5are determined with the aid of wire sensors 8, 9, which are located ateach of said wire clipping devices 6, 7. When the bale 2 moves alongrespective roller paths 1, 5 and the forwardly located wrapping wire 3,as seen in the direction of transportation, which is detected by thewire sensor 8, 9, the drive to the roller path 1, 5 is disengaged,wherewith the forward wire 3 is located above a respective wire clippingdevice 6, 7. When the bale 2 is again set in motion, the drive isdisengaged when the rearwardly lying wire has been detected by the wiresensor 8, 9 whereupon the rear wire is located above a respective wireclipping device 6, 7.

The preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 is constructed inprincipally the same manner as the arrangement described above withreference to FIGS. 3-6. The reference numeral 20 in FIG. 7 identifies ahorizontal lower part of a magnetic metal wire which is shown in brokenlines and which is wound in an endless loop around a bale (not shown)resting on a horizontal roller path or some other form of conveyor (alsonot shown) which enables the part 20 to be reached from beneath. Thereference numeral 6 identifies conventional shears driven by a pneumaticpiston-cylinder device 21. The shears 6 and the piston-cylinder device21 are securely mounted on a slide 22, which can be displaced axiallyalong vertical guides 23 by means of a further pneumatic piston-cylinderdevice 24. The piston-cylinder device 24 and the guides 23 are carriedby a machine frame structure 25, and the piston-cylinder device 24 isoperative in moving the shears 6 between (a) an upper position, in whicheach of the shear blades is located on a respective side of the wirepart 20, so as to sever said wire part upon activation of thepiston-cylinder device 21, and (b) a lower position in which the shearsare located out of the path of the bales located on the conveyor.

Also incorporated in the arrangement illustrated in FIG. 7 is a sensor8, which is mounted on an arm which extends in the transportingdirection of the conveyor and which is hinged at one end to the framestructure 25, by means of a hinge 26. A thrust spring 27 acting betweenthe frame structure and the arm urges the arm into contact with theunder surface of the bales advanced on the conveyor. The sensor isadapted to detect the presence of magnetic metal wires and upondetecting such a wire is operative in initiating a sequence ofoperations in which the conveyor is stopped, the shears 6 are movedupwardly to their raised position by means of the piston-cylinder device24, the piston-cylinder device 21 is activated to effect severing of thewire loop, and the shears 6 are again lowered to their lower position.

The electromagnet 10 of the illustrated embodiment is carried on theouter end of the piston rod of a pneumatic piston-cylinder device 28,which in turn is carried by the frame structure 25. The magnet 10 isarranged for movement between an upper position, shown in broken lines,in which it is located in the close proximity of or in physical contactwith the wire part 20, and a lower position, shown in full lines, inwhich it is moved out of the path of the bales located on the conveyor.As the magnet 10 moves from its upper to its lower position, itentrains, or pulls, the left-hand part of the wire part 20 (as seen inFIG. 7) severed at 29, such as to bring this severed wire part intoabutment with a support 30 carried by the frame structure 25. Thesupport 30 has journalled thereon two wire-capturing arms 31, each ofwhich is arranged for rotational movement between the open positionshown in full lines, in which the wire end can pass freely in betweenthe arms, and the holding-down position shown in broken lines, in whichthe captured part of said wire end is bent down in such a manner thatthe extremity of said captured wire end is located in the space betweenthe rotor 14 of the second wire clipping device 14-18 and the guidesurface 18 as illustrated in chain lines in the Figure, said rotationalmovement of the arms 31 being effected by means of pneumaticpiston-cylinder devices 32 acting between the arms and the framestructure 25. The shaft 33 of the rotor 14 has been shown in FIG. 7, butnot the journal bearings of the rotor. The rotor shaft 33 is driven byan electric motor 34, over a V-belt transmission 35. When the wire-endreaches the position shown in chain lines, the wire is dogged by therotor cutting-bits 16 in the manner described with reference to the FIG.1-6 embodiment, and is divided into relatively short pieces through themutual co-action of the cutting bits 16 and the counter cutting-bit 17.The severed pieces of wire, or slugs, are collected in a containerillustrated at 36. As with the aforesaid second part-cylindrical surface19 of the FIG. 1-6 embodiment, the upper surface of the support 30 isrounded, to facilitate passage of the wire length formed by severingwire 3 at 29 to the second wire clipping device 14-18. If desired, thearms 31 can be held in the holding-down position, shown in broken lines,until the whole of the wire length has been cut up. The rotor 14 may bedriven continuously or intermittently, solely in conjunction withdividing wire lengths into smaller pieces.

It will be understood that the described and illustrated embodiments arenot restrictive of the scope of the invention, and that modificationscan be made within the scope of the invention as defined in thefollowing claims.

We claim:
 1. An arrangement for removing and dividing into pieceswrapping wire (3) that encircles a bale or like package in individual,closed loops, said arrangement being of the kind which includes a firstwire clipping device (6) for severing the wire in each separate loop ofwrapping wire at a location (29), to form a wire length, a second wireclipping device (14, 16, 17) for dividing the wire length into smallerpieces, and feed means (10, 12, 16, 18) for advancing the wire length tothe second wire clipping device, said second wire clipping device (14,16, 17) comprising at least one cutting bit (16) which projectsradically outwards from a motor-driven rotor (14) and the cutting edgeof which generates a substantially cylindrical surface as the rotorrotates, and which further comprises a stationary counter cutting-bit(17) characterized in that the feed means includes a part-cylindricalguide surface (18) which is located upstream of the counter cutting-bit(17) and is outwardly of and parallel with the surface generated by thecutting bit (16) of the rotor (14), and that the arrangement includesmeans (10, 12, 13) for introducing one end of said wire length betweensaid guide surface and the rotor (14), the distance between the guidesurface (18) and the surface generated by the cutting bit (16) of therotor being so much smaller than the thickness of the wire that when therotor rotates the cutting bit (16) thereof, upon passage of said cuttingbit along the guide surface, bites into a wire length introduced betweenthe guide surface and the rotor and dogs or likewise entrains the wirelength to the location of the counter cutting-bit (17), with said wirelength sliding against said guide surface, where said wire length issevered.
 2. An arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe feed means (10, 12-16, 18) includes bending means (10, 12, 13) forbending an end portion of the wire length still located around the bale(2) from one position in which said end portion follows one side of thebale, to another position in which the extremity of said end portion islocated between the rotor (14) and the guide surface (18).
 3. Anarrangement according to claim 1, characterized by a secondpart-cylindrical surface (19) which is curved in a direction opposite tothe first part-cylindrical surface (18) and which adjoins said firstpart-cylindrical surface at the inlet end thereof remote from thecounter cutting-bit (17).